Press Releases Press Release Distribution 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of following up with a journalist after sending a press release?
- To demand coverage
- To build relationships and offer additional information if needed (Correct answer)
- To send the release again
- To complain about no response
Correct answer: To build relationships and offer additional information if needed
A polite follow-up opens dialogue, provides extra context, and demonstrates genuine interest in helping the journalist.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of a paid wire distribution service?
- Gmail
- PR Newswire (Correct answer)
- WordPress
Correct answer: PR Newswire
PR Newswire is a major paid wire service that distributes press releases to thousands of newsrooms and online outlets.
Question 3: What does 'pitch' mean in the context of press release distribution?
- A formal legal submission
- A personalized email to a journalist proposing a story based on the press release (Correct answer)
- A payment to a publication
- A public press conference
Correct answer: A personalized email to a journalist proposing a story based on the press release
A pitch is a tailored message sent to a specific journalist explaining why the press release is relevant to their audience.
Question 4: Why should you localize a press release before distribution?
- To translate it into multiple languages automatically
- To make the content relevant to a specific regional audience or media market (Correct answer)
- To add local advertisements
- To shorten the release
Correct answer: To make the content relevant to a specific regional audience or media market
Localizing ensures the release resonates with regional journalists and audiences by referencing local context or data.
Question 5: What is 'media monitoring' in the context of press release campaigns?
- Watching TV news
- Tracking where and how a press release is covered across media outlets (Correct answer)
- Auditing journalist email lists
- Posting on social media
Correct answer: Tracking where and how a press release is covered across media outlets
Media monitoring tracks coverage generated by a press release to measure reach, sentiment, and campaign effectiveness.
Question 6: What metric is commonly used to measure the success of a press release distribution?
- Number of words in the release
- Media pickups and earned media value (Correct answer)
- Time it took to write
- Number of revisions made
Correct answer: Media pickups and earned media value
Media pickups (how many outlets ran the story) and earned media value measure the distribution's real-world impact.
Press Releases Press Release Distribution 2
What is the purpose of following up with a journalist after sending a press release?